Chapter 15

Chapter 15: An Old Kindness

Yang Hui Hui snorted. “This time, I won’t yield to you again!”

“Then let’s rely on our own abilities,” Zhou Xiu Wu shot back.

In terms of wealth, the Mad Sword Sect and Firecloud Alliance were evenly matched. And since Yang Hui Hui’s cultivation was about the same as his, they were bound to clash in the Immortal Sect recruitment.

A body-nurturing treasure like the Tai Yi Realm Pure Lotus?

Neither would give an inch.

The starting bid was set at twenty million low-grade spirit stones.

Lin Zhao noticed something then: the moment the Pure Lotus appeared, Ning Wen Gui’s expression darkened.

She leaned closer. “Is there something wrong with it?”

Ning Wen Gui steadied himself before answering. “The Tai Yi Realm Pure Lotus is extremely rare. In the You Lan Empire, I’ve only heard of one—part of Noble Consort Zhao’s dowry. Ning Wen Yue asked for it many times and was refused. So why would she bring it out now, and even put it up for auction?”

Lin Zhao’s brows rose. She asked Granny silently, “Is there something wrong with the lotus?”

Granny’s focus sharpened. “It is the Tai Yi Realm Pure Lotus. But someone has laced it with cold Flood Dragon Poison. Whoever uses it is asking to die.”

Lin Zhao’s mind snapped into place.

Even without Ning Wen Gui’s suspicion, she could see the scheme.

The auction house was under Ning Wen Gui’s supervision. If an item sold by the auction house caused harm—especially something this precious—the blame would fall on him.

Today, the Mad Sword Sect and Firecloud Alliance were openly fighting for the lotus. Whoever won it, if something went wrong, would hate Ning Wen Gui.

Even if they didn’t ally with Ning Wen Yue, it would still cripple Ning Wen Gui’s position.

Vicious. Clean. Effective.

Lin Zhao asked quietly, “Is there evidence it was sent by Noble Consort Zhao and her people?”

Ning Wen Gui requested the records. After scanning them, he shook his head. “It was done discreetly. Besides, not many people even know the lotus came from Noble Consort Zhao.”

If it had been any other day, perhaps the scheme would have slipped by unnoticed. But today, of all days, Ning Wen Gui had appeared at the auction house in person—and the lotus surfaced.

If it sold without being cleansed, Ning Wen Gui would never be able to clear himself of involvement. He would be forced to swallow the loss in silence.

Lin Zhao clenched her teeth.

Granny’s voice carried a hint of satisfaction. “Little girl, why are you angry? Let Granny handle it before it’s delivered. This poison is fatal to others, but for you it’s a good thing.”

Lin Zhao’s eyes lit. She dismissed the attendants, then asked Ning Wen Gui if she could handle the Pure Lotus alone before it was delivered.

“Of course,” Ning Wen Gui said without hesitation. “That’s no problem.”

She nodded once, then added, “The auction house must have been compromised. Otherwise, the lotus wouldn’t have gotten in at all.”

Ning Wen Gui’s gaze turned cold, a sharp edge flashing in his eyes. “My injured legs have emboldened people to grow thoughts they shouldn’t. I’ll deal with them.”

In the end, Yang Hui Hui won the lotus.

When she learned it had been sent to the First Private Room before delivery, she exploded. “This miss finally beat that madman once, and someone still dares offend me?”

She stormed out, whip at her waist, and headed straight for the First Private Room.

At the door, she saw Ning Wen Gui in his wheelchair and offered a salute that was barely proper. “Crown Prince, Your Highness—why hasn’t my Tai Yi Realm Pure Lotus been delivered? Is this how you manage the You Lan auction house?”

Ning Wen Gui’s voice remained even. “We apologize for delaying you, Miss Yang. A master evaluated the lotus and found a slight flaw. Once the master invited by the auction house deals with it, it will naturally be delivered.”

Yang Hui Hui’s brows knit. She didn’t like being stalled. But Ning Wen Gui had gone this far, and his position as Crown Prince mattered.

Before she could respond, a familiar voice slid in like oil.

“Sixth Brother, that’s not right.” Ning Wen Yue appeared beside the crowd, smiling as if he hadn’t been thrown to the ground earlier. “Miss Yang already won the lotus. Instead of delivering it, you claim it has flaws. How could a holy item like that have flaws? Could it be you want to keep it and are just making excuses?”

Yang Hui Hui didn’t care about the imperial princes’ games, but the accusation suited her anger. She lifted her chin. “Exactly! What could be wrong with it? I want to see this ‘master’ myself.”

Relying on her late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, she rushed past Ning Wen Gui—his legs made it hard to block her—and charged for the private room door.

Ning Wen Gui’s people tried to move, but Ning Wen Yue and Lu Mei’s men blocked them.

Ning Wen Gui’s fingers gathered turquoise spiritual energy, killing intent flickering—

And a calm voice from inside the room pressed it down.

“It’s fine, Ning Wen Gui.”

Lin Zhao stepped out, blue dress clean and unruffled, the Tai Yi Realm Pure Lotus in her hands.

Ning Wen Yue stared, stunned, as if he’d forgotten how to breathe.

Lu Mei’s gaze locked on the lotus. When she saw the cold threads of Flood Dragon Poison aura were gone, her jaw tightened.

She’d planned to ruin Lin Zhao’s purity. She hadn’t expected Lin Zhao to dare ruin her plan instead.

Then Lin Zhao couldn’t be allowed to live.

Lu Mei forced her anger down, but her eyes already looked at Lin Zhao like she was staring at a corpse.

Half of Yang Hui Hui’s anger drained away when she saw Lin Zhao. She blinked, then her eyes reddened.

“Are you Immortal Maiden Wang Shu… Lin Zhao?” she asked, voice catching on the name.

Lin Zhao frowned slightly. “You know me?”

Yang Hui Hui’s hands shook as she tugged a small bottle from the necklace at her throat and poured out a pill—rough, imperfect, but carefully preserved.

“When I was little, I grew up in a village with my grandmother,” she said quickly, afraid the words would die in her throat. “The village was invaded by the Demon Clan. You saved my grandmother and me. You gave me this. Do you remember?”

Recognition stirred in Lin Zhao, faint but real.

“So it was you.”

“If not for you, my grandmother and I would have died.” Yang Hui Hui’s voice trembled with fierce gratitude. “We wouldn’t have lived long enough for my parents to find us. All these years, I trained hard just so I could go to the Immortal Sect and find you!”

Lin Zhao’s throat tightened.

She had saved too many people to count. She’d never expected repayment.

But she had also been repaid in betrayal—disciples she’d rescued from the Demon Clan, raised at Yun Ding Peak, later repaying kindness with knives.

That betrayal had chilled her so deeply she’d crippled their cultivation paths the moment she acted.

Now, looking at Yang Hui Hui’s raw sincerity, Lin Zhao felt something loosen inside her chest.

Not everyone was a beast.